CARACAS (AP) — Amid reports of attempts to sabotage the talks, delegates from the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army guerrillas meet Monday in the Venezuelan capital to begin the fourth cycle of peace talks.
In a joint communiqué, the delegations indicated that they “will address other relevant issues in the development of the agenda,” without giving details of the issues that will be addressed in the coming days.
In the letter they highlighted that communication mechanisms were adopted “to avoid confrontations” during the ceasefire – agreed in the last cycle held in Havana – which began on August 3 and will last at least until next January 29.
In addition, they welcomed the extension of the mandate of the UN Verification Mission.
“This contributes to improving the humanitarian situation of the populations and territories,” the statement added, stressing that they will seek to reach agreements that allow “the democratic construction of peace with the participation of Colombian society.”
The government and the ELN – the last active guerrilla in Colombia – resumed peace talks in November 2022 after more than three years of suspension.
Otty Patiño, head of the Colombian government’s negotiating team, said that the delegates agree on the need to move forward so that this is “the cycle of the people”, which suffers the impact of the conflict. Patiño is a co-founder of the extinct M-19 guerrilla, where the current Colombian president was a member in his youth.
Israel Ramírez Pineda, the deputy commander of the ELN and known by the alias of Pablo Beltrán, affirmed that this guerrilla “when they come to these peace events, they come to make agreements and fulfill agreements.”
“Count on the ELN to continue developing this peace agreement,” Beltrán said, noting that as usually happens in peace processes, and in this one in particular, there are opponents “but fortunately, they are fewer.”
He added that the ELN aspires “that what is signed here be fulfilled” and that what is agreed in each cycle be applied immediately, unlike other processes when they are implemented once a final agreement is reached.
The meeting took place five days after the complaint that the ELN was planning from Venezuela an alleged attack against the Colombian Attorney General, Francisco Barbosa.
According to the complaint from the Colombian Attorney General’s Office, three sources of information confirmed that in July a meeting was held in Venezuelan territory between five senior commanders of the rebel group to carry out the attack against Barbosa, which would be carried out “with snipers”.
The ELN denied the existence of a plan to assassinate Barbosa, who in recent months has led several controversies with Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
According to the guerrilla group, the complaint attempts to sabotage the dialogue process with the government.
Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva commented last week that the supposed terrorist attack against Barbosa could be “a bomb” for the peace process with the ELN and stated that it is necessary to “investigate very thoroughly” and that “the important thing is to establish the truth.” .
According to figures from the Colombian authorities, the ELN currently has around 5,000 members and operates in several departments of that country, especially those on the border with Venezuela.
